Department of Chemistry, MES College of Engineering, Kuttippuram, Kerala, India

Department of Chemistry, Hindustan College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT
The present investigation was carried out for determining the various physico-chemical parameters and biological
characteristic of Chitrapuzha River for two different seasons rainy and summer in Ernamkulam district. The following
parameters were analyzed DO, FC, pH, BOD, Phosphate, Nitrates, Turbidity and TDS. All the measured parameters were
found to be very high compared to limit prescribed by WHO, and thereby unfit for both drinking and irrigation.
The Chitrapuzha River has been falling severe anthropogenic activities mostly due to industrial wastes.

KEYWORDS: Physico-Chemical Parameters, WHO Standard, Chitrapuzha River
INTRODUCTION
Chitrapuha river, one of the tributaries of Periyar river, flows through Amabalamedu, Kochi area, on the southern
coast of Indian subcontinent. The river receives a variety of effluents from fertilizer, refinery and other industries.
Apart from Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) other major industries around Ambalamedu Kochi area are
Hindustan Organics Chemicals Limited (HOCL) and Kochi Refinery Limited (KRL). The effluents contain ammonia,
ammonium sulphate, phosphate, calcium sulphate, nitrate and heavy metals
Effluents from these industrial units along with agricultural and other anthropogenic effluents find their way into
Chitrapuzha River ultimately into Cochin backwaters. There are long standing local complaints about water pollution
causing fish mortality and serious damage to agricultural crops resulting in extensive unemployment in the area. The lower
reaches of this river became part of National Waterways in 1993 and is now mainly used for transporting chemicals from
Cochin Port to the industrial units located on the banks of the river. The total effluent discharge into Chitrapuzha river is
about 33,600m 3 per day. This study helps us to assess the impacts of industrial effluents and domestic sewage on surface
water quality of Chitrapuzha river

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Based on specific geographical features, water flow regimes and anthropogenic activities, 9 sampling locations
were selected (Figure 1). The samples were collected in acid-washed 5 liter plastic bottles at 10 a.m. every three days,
continuously for one month period during rainy and summer season. For chemical, biological and microbiological
examination, different methods of collection and handling were adopted. The instruments were used of precise accuracy
and chemicals used were of AR grade.
PH was measured using Digital pH meter. DO and BOD was measured using Winkler’s titrimetric method.
The multiple-tube fermentation method was used to determine the bacteria present. The confirmed and complete test was
carried out for the samples by using the nutrient froth. The turbidity was measured by using Digital Turbidity meter, 863D
‘Bio-Chem make. The evaporation method is used for determining the total solids by using standard procedures. Nitrate
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G. Deepa & P. N. Magudeswaran

ion was determined using Brucine method. To determine the total phosphorus stannous chloride method is used by
following the established procedure.

Figure 1: Sampling Stations in Chithrapuzha River

RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS
The physico-chemical and biological characteristics of the samples are given in table 1 to 9 for summer and rainy
season along with the respective WQI value. The water quality index was calculated using the eight parameters
(Magudeswaran 2004).
The eight resulting values were then added to an overall WQI (Magudeswaren, 2004). WQI = 0.19 DO + 0.18 FC
+ 0.12 pH + 0.12 BOD + 0.11 Total phosphate + 0.11 Nitrates + 0.09 Turbidity + 0.08 Total solids.
Dissolved oxygen plays an important role in water quality determination. The study was that, the DO of river
water was maximum at station 1 and less at station 9. The DO % saturation of the river water at station 1 and 9 are
95.4 and 92 (Table 1 & 9) for summer season and 98.9 and 91.50 for rainy season respectively.
Both in summer and rainy season the DO% saturation was low at station 9 compared to station 1. This due to
addition of domestic sewage, industrial sewage and MSW containing oxidisable organic matter and consequent
biodegradation and decay of vegetation, which leads to consumption of oxygen present in water (Jammel 1998). Low % of
saturation of DO has direct effect to fish community, especially during spawning period because the respiratory system
requires DO to breath.
pH is a measurement of the acidity or basic quality of water. The pH of natural water is usually between 6.7 and
8.2. It was found that the pH of water varies from 6.7 to 8.5 in summer and 6.9 to 8.2 in rainy season (table 1 & 9) showing
that the alkalinity of water has increased. The Total solids are important parameters for drinking water and to be used for
other purposes. According to WHO the permissible limits of total solids for drinking water is 1500mg/l but the value of
Chithrapuzha River water in station 9 exceeds this value due to mixing of sewage and industrial wastes.
BOD was low at station 1 and higher at station 9 during rainy and summer seasons. Desirable limit for BOD is
4.0 mg/l and permissible limit is 6.0 mg/l according to Indian standards. BOD below 3 mg/l or less is required for the best
use. Fokmare and Musaddiq (2002) recorded high value of biochemical oxygen demand as 20.00 mg/l in river puma and
said that this river is highly polluted due to organic enrichment, decay of plants and animal matter in the river.

Impact Factor (JCC): 3.0965

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

25

Water Quality Index of Chitrapuzha River, Ernamkulam, Kerala, India

Thus the high value of BOD encountered in station 9 (table 9) during summer and rainy season, above the
permissible limit of WHO (< 2 mg /l) indicates the pollution by biochemical degradable organic waste from various
sources.
Faecal coliform bacteria are living organisms, unlike the other conventional water quality parameters.
Fecal coliforms are around 13 MPN/ 100 ml at station 1, starts to rise and reaches the value 26.2 MPN/100ml in summer
season at station 6 (table 6). The rising of Faecal coliform is the direct evidence for mixing of untreated sewage, poorly
maintained septic systems, and scooped pet waste into the river water.
Turbidity and water colour can be regarded as aesthetic pollutants. The observed results are presented in
tables 1 to 9. The high turbidity value of 11.2NTU was observed in station 9 during summer season (Table 9). The high
content of turbidity station 9 may be due to increase in TDS value or it may be due to organic compounds being introduced
in to it either through domestic or location area effluents (Agarwal, 2005). The concentration of phosphate in Chitrapuzha
River was found to be ranged from 0.06mg/l to 1.45mg/l in summer and.03 to 1.32in rainy season. Among the nine
sampling stations, the station 9 during both rainy and summer season showed high phosphate content when compared to
station 1. Phosphate is the indication of pollution by detergents and it leads to formation of algal bloom. The high
concentration of phosphate in station 9 (Table 9) may be due to human and animal waste are flushed in to water ways,
either from poorly treated sewage, surface runoff and some Industrial waste also carry phosphorous in to the river. The
unfiltered water of the catchment area of phosphate rocks, uncontrolled disposal of sewage and biodegradable synthetic
detergents also add huge quantities of phosphate (Agarwal, 2005).
The WQ index has decreased from station 1 to 9 by about 20.09 units (Tables 1 & 9) in summer season and by
about 14.38 units (Tables 1 & 9) in rainy season. According to WQI legend the water which has the quality characteristics
value around 25 is very bad and cannot be used for any purpose.

CONCLUSIONS
A WQI value of the chithrapuzha river (station 8, 9) is not suitable for domestic and agricultural purposes as per
drinking water standards of Bureau of Indian Standards and WHO guidelines. Regular monitoring of river and taking
suitable remedial measures like collection of domestic sewage and setting up the common treatment plant before discharge
of sewage in to river system is required. This will control pollution and prevent the depletion of the quality of Chitra Puzha
River water.
Table 1: Calculation and Results of Water Quality Index (WQI)
Station 1- Cochin Bar Mouth Summer 2013
Sl No